Amazon on Monday revealed a new discounted version of its popular Kindle eBook reader. Amazon’s announcement came on the same day Barnes & Noble announced its all-new NOOK eReader. When asked during a Q&A session after Monday’s press conference if Barnes & Noble would ever consider releasing an ad-supported NOOK, CEO William Lynch laughed and said it was highly unlikely — but Amazon seems to be having some success with the ad-supported model. Joining the company’s $114 ad-supported Wi-Fi Kindle is the new $164 Kindle 3G, which gives consumers the option of saving $25 and dealing with advertisements. The device is otherwise identical to the standard Kindle 3G, which features a Pearl E Ink display, a full QWERTY keypad and free 3G connectivity. Hit the break for the full press release. More →

We just spent some time with Barnes & Noble’s just-announced eReader, the all-new NOOK, and we have to say… we’re impressed. From the size, to the design, to the gorgeous new E Ink Pearl display, this device is leaps and bounds better than the previous-generation NOOK. What’s more, we think it will definitely push Barnes & Noble even further in the growing eReader space, and it should have the team over at Amazon working overtime on its next Kindle design. The exterior of all-new NOOK is composed entirely of soft-touch rubber that feels amazing compared to the hard plastic found on other readers. The new E Ink display is fantastic, and we definitely appreciated the work Barnes & Noble put into improving the seizure-inducing page transitions that plague all eReaders. They’re still there, but they’re much improved compared to older readers. The addition of a 6-inch touchscreen makes interacting with the device much more enjoyable than non-touch eBook readers, and it also helps make the size of the device perfect for carrying in a small bag or even a coat pocket. Barnes & Noble’s is taking pre-orders for its all-new NOOK starting now, and the device will begin shipping on or around June 10th for $139. In the meantime, definitely check out our hands-on gallery below!

While Microsoft is busy showing off the latest and greatest its Windows Phone platform has to offer, Barnes & Noble is across town getting ready to take the wraps off its brand new NOOK eReader. Tablets like the Apple iPad 2 and BlackBerry PlayBook are taking center stage right now, but these jacks of all trades have a long way to go before they can even come close to matching the reading experience afforded by dedicated eReaders. Avid readers and casual readers alike can appreciate the remarkable battery life and unique features that only a dedicated eBook reader can afford, and good luck trying to soak up the sun while reading a book on your iPad — right now, only an E Ink display can remain perfectly visible and glare-free while combating the sun’s rays. So what new features does Barnes and Noble have in store for its latest NOOK eReader? Hit the break for our live coverage of the unveiling, which will begin just before 10:00 a.m. EST, and don’t forget to refresh the page often for all the latest updates! More →

We just received an invite from Barnes & Noble for a press event that’s being held in New York City on Tuesday, May 24th. We suspect this will be the bookstore’s third major eReader announcement, which is in line with a recent SEC filing that suggested such a launch was imminent. It’s unclear what features the new eReader will offer, although we suspect it could be powered by the Android Honeycomb operating system, which was specifically designed for use in tablets. We’ll be reporting live from the event on Tuesday morning.

Amazon has announced that its customers can now purchase an ad-subsidized version of its Kindle. The “Kindle with Special Offers” eReader will retail for $114 and comes with sponsored screen savers and advertisements on the bottom of the screen. Buick, Procter & Gamble, Visa, and Amazon.com Reward Visa Card (Chase) will be the first companies to offer sponsored screen savers, and Kindle users can use a free “AdMash” Kindle application to choose what ads are displayed. Initial deals include:

$10 for $20 Amazon.com Gift Card

$6 for 6 Audible Books (normally $68)

$1 for an album in the Amazon MP3 Store (choose from over 1 million albums)

Buy one of 30 Kindle bestsellers with your Visa card and get $10 Amazon.com credit

50% off Roku Streaming Player (normally $99)

We’d probably splurge and buy the ad-free Kindle, which costs just $25 more, and think this deal would probably be more attractive if it was in the sub-$100 range. The “Kindle with Special Offers” device will ship in the U.S. and customers can pre-order the device now. Hit the jump for the full release. More →

Redmond software giant Microsoft has announced it will file suit against Barnes & Noble, Foxconn, and Inventec for patent infringement. The three, seemingly unrelated companies collaborate to manufacture the Barnes & Noble branded, Android-based eReader. “The Android platform infringes a number of Microsoft’s patents, and companies manufacturing and shipping Android devices must respect our intellectual property rights,” said Horacio Gutierrez, Microsoft’s Deputy General Counsel. Microsoft has setup a patent licensing program for Android vendors to mitigate instances of infringement upon the patents in question — Taiwanese company HTC subscribes to said program. “We have tried for over a year to reach licensing agreements with Barnes & Noble, Foxconn and Inventec” Gutierrez added. “Their refusals to take licenses leave us no choice but to bring legal action to defend our innovations.” The full press release is after the break. More →

Titles from major book publisher Random House will now appear in Apple’s iBooks store. The news was one of many talking points covered earlier today at Apple’s media event. Random House had previously been the only major publisher not represented in Apple’s popular iOS book store, as it was not willing to grant Apple the 30% cut taken on titles sold through iBooks. The addition of Random House is a major coup for Apple as it looks to compete with the likes of Amazon’s Kindle bookstore and other popular offerings. Hit the break for Apple’s full press release. More →

AT&T on Monday announced that it will soon begin selling Amazon’s popular 3G-enabled Kindle eBook reader in its retail locations. Starting March 6th, customers will be able to purchase the Kindle 3G eReader from AT&T stores across the country for $189. 3G service on AT&T’s nationwide network is still bundled with the purchase price of the device, so no additional service plan will be required. “Amazon has without question pioneered the eReader space with Kindle, and it’s exciting to not only connect this device through our network, but now offer it in our stores to readers around the country ,” said Glenn Lurie, president of emerging devices for AT&T, in a statement. “As the first dedicated eReader offered in our stores, we are confident the Kindle will be an attractive addition to our in store connected devices lineup.” Amazon also charges $189 for the Kindle 3G on amazon.com, however customers who purchase the device online will not have to pay sales tax. AT&T’s full press release is after the break.

Just three days after Amazon announced that its Kindle e-reader had become the best-selling product of all-time on the company’s website, Barnes & Noble has issued a similar quip. “With millions of NOOK eReading devices sold, the line has become the company’s biggest bestseller ever in its nearly 40-year history,” reads a press release. “The new NOOKcolor Reader’s Tablet, introduced just eight weeks before Christmas, is the company’s number one selling gift of the holiday season.” B&N also went on to note that it “now sells more digital books than its large and growing physical book business on BN.com.” While the vague statistics being foisted upon us are impressive, neither Amazon nor Barnes & Noble will release or comment on the exact sales figures of their respective e-readers. For now, they are both the best… ever. More →

Following a report on Tuesday questioning the ethics surrounding free public-domain eBooks that were reformatted and made available for sale in Amazon’s Kindle store, BGR has learned that a similar scenario exists in Barnes & Noble’s NOOKbook store. In a thread entitled Scammers and Bottom Feeders: NOOKBooks Open for Business on Barnes & Noble’s public forums, users share a variety of complaints surrounding public-domain eBooks that are available for sale in the NOOKbook store. Beyond the ethical questions surrounding this practice, some users also raise concerns surrounding the inevitable clutter that results when “bottom feeders” post multiple copies of the same book for sale. One forum member lists 10 separate copies of the Dickens classic A Tale of Two Cities for sale that have been uploaded to the NOOKbook store by various third-parties. The famous Dickens novel is a public-domain work that is available for free through numerous outlets.

Whether or not Amazon and Barnes & Noble plan to put measures in place to prevent the sale of free public-domain eBooks remains to be seen — though it is important to note again that while this practice is certainly unethical, it is not illegal.

A report in Tuesday’s Washington Post reveals that Amazon is apparently selling free public-domain eBooks that have had their license information stripped. The eBooks in question originate from Project Gutenberg and are available there for free in a variety of formats including ePub, HTML and Kindle. Project Gutenberg — not to be confused with 80s legend Steve Guttenberg — was founded by eBook inventor Michael Hart and is known as the first generally available collection of free eBooks. It is also maintained by volunteers who are not paid for their services. Amazon’s alleged practice of selling rebranded Gutenberg eBooks is not illegal — in fact it doesn’t even violate Project Gutenberg’s license terms. It is, however, unethical at best and very disturbing at worst. In response to inquiries, an Amazon spokeswoman told the Post, “These books were uploaded by a third party using our self-service platform. I’ve sent your note to the appropriate team internally.” Amazon did not state that the Gutenberg eBooks would be removed from its Kindle store, nor did it condemn the practice of selling reformatted versions of free public-domain eBook files. More →

Target announced that the nationwide retail giant will be carrying the Amazon Kindle. No longer an Amazon online exclusive, the Kindle will debut on April 25th and will be available both online and in Target’s brick and mortar stores. The in-store launch will initially be limited to Target’s flagship store in Minneapolis and its 102 stores scattered throughout South Florida. Roll out of the Kindle will be gradual with additional stores receiving the popular e-reader later this year. This in-store presence is expected to boost sales of the Kindle as it will provide an opportunity for interested customers to touch and use the device before buying. Current pricing on the Kindle will remain the same with Target offering the device for a reasonable $259. Full press release after the break. More →

It has been a little over two months since the Barnes and Noble Nook first went on sale and the popular e-reader is finally ready to make its nationwide in-store debut. With Amazon and its Kindle under assault by the book publishers over e-book pricing and the news media for its Macmillan book pulling stunt, the timing could not be more apropos with the Nook expected to be available for purchase in stores within the next few days. Folks looking to score a Nook before the Valentines Day holiday can use the online Nook locator to see which local stores have one in stock starting February 10th. Anyone looking to buy or hoping to get a Nook come Sunday? More →